It's been like two weeks since Jodan left the shop. His existence was a good thing for us. As of now, we are living gloomy and tired lives. He made the atmosphere funny. Mr. Lukas seemed to be much tensed because of the fact. I'm sure he's in the middle of thinking whether or not he'll find him m if you ask me, I would definitely do that. Even though he wouldn't show us the confused and worried face of his but I gasp it. I have lived with him for many years now. He can't just fool my eyes. I knew him more than Luna or Sutasi. After all, he found me first. He took care of me and then it comes to others. It was probably five years ago, Mr. Lukas gave me the hope I needed the most that. Without him, I would have died now. There wouldn't be a single trace of me.
"Things are doing well? The front line is piling up. Finish it quickly and handle the front. Customers are coming one after one. Is today a special day?" The one who said that to me was Sutasi. He would usually not talk to me but today he did. He was never the one to start the conversation. Perhaps the workload had made him do that. However, he was quite friendly with Zane. He became like another person in front of him. To be honest, he's a great help for us. Without him, we wouldn't able to complete the missions properly. The one who is inevitable to Mr. Lukas might be him. It's not like I'm jealous or something. I'm don't also had him. Seeing him worked up was a good thing. That's another side of him. I could only gasp him one weakness. He can't blend well with humans. No, not even with us. He's a total introverted person. I hardly believe him going somewhere with another person. It would be a girl or boy. That thing didn't ring a bell. As Sutasi had told me, I hurriedly finish my work and went near the front shop. You know this used to be in Mr. Lukas's work but he kept going somewhere leaving us to this pain..Yeah, talking to humans is a total pain in the ass. They changed their mood so quickly. They make hundred of mistakes like giving less money, laughing at a serious matter but despite those mistakes, they live their life to the fullest. They smile whenever they can, they cry if they got hurt physically or mentally. I wondered why is that. At first, I thought it's just their nature or a kind of common habit like the tiger hunts deer.
"Here's your one." I handed the package to the customer. Her bright smile brightened the entire shop. I couldn't even look straight at her due to that. What an intense smile! Please stop it! Please stop it! She finally came to her senses. Such a bright little girl. If only there was Mr. Lukas in my place, it would be way easier. I know people play along with my wife's unnatural smile. No wonder the girl was smiling back at me. She then left. Sutasi was inside handling all the works and managing the employees. Luna was most probably delivering goods. The sun was pouring bright and hot. The summer had hit the ground pretty badly. The shop had heated up. Packing and handling pack one after one was hard one me. Where the hell Mr. Lukas went.
***(2 hours later)
It finally came to an end. Customers keep piling up. Without any help, I had to keep up with them with a wide grin. Sh*t it sucks. Well, for better or worse it came to an end and there's no one standing in the line. I closed the front shutter as it's our closing time. However, when I slide the shutter to the fullest, a little boy around five or six yours came near me. His hands were dirty so his body. The half pant he was wearing seemed unwashed for days. The not so neatly trimmed hair was looking pretty bad in the eyes. I couldn't help but glaze at his throbbing eyes filled with intense emotions. Even though I wasn't able to understand the feelings he had, I could grasp it by his appearance. After putting the banner 'Closed' on the shutter, I came near him. He finally looked up at me who was in a squat position. "What's wrong?" He didn't say anything in reply rather he was turning his back on me and began going the direction he came from. His hands were shaking violently as if he was chased by a monster. "Wait!" As I was a bit confused about what to say to so who just ignored you I uttered the first thing that came out of my mouth. My words had got into his ears and he stopped in his tracks. Grabbing the subway sandwich that one of the customers gave me earlier, I went his way. His legs were badly wounded. If I got his time, I would definitely treat those wounds. His dark circled eyes flickered as he saw me running towards him. Perhaps he thinks of me as a preditor. He swiftly took a protective posture and covered his face with both hands. I slowed down a bit not to bring fear onto him. In a matter of time, I had got near him without making him fearful towards me. Crunching down on my knees, I gave him the sandwich while he was closing his eyes. What could have happened to him? Those own those wounds. Slowly but surely he opened his eyes and saw a big sandwich in front of him. He backed up a little as soon as he opened his eyes. After understanding the surroundings, he calmed himself and took the sandwich I gave him. At first, he hesitated a bit but when I forced him a bit he took it deliberately. Leaving him in the place I stood, he went to the way he came from. I don't know his name or his family name. Somehow, he reminded me of myself. I was quite the same as him. I felt like I saw myself after all those years. If only I could help him a bit, this would be better. If only he got someone like Mr. Lukas to save him from the harsh world, his childhood would be better. As the sun was setting down, I went back to my place as he went back to his.
It was the same old white room. Why am I here is not a question now? It's rather a fact. I have become used to here. Those brightened atmospheres, the soundless room, it's getting me creepy chills every time. Even though I was used to it, it still bugs me. What could have gone wrong in my life? But today there was no one. That's unusual. Not that I hate it but I love being alone. Every time a clone of mine or my mother would present here saying strange things. Today, I saw no one. I began walking like I always do. Maybe I found someone. At the end of this dream or whatever I fear out of my life. This place has become a familiar place for me. The endless room that was white than the milk made a great place for walking. However, my sights were interrupted by the frightening scenery. It was right in front of my very eyes. A cross is just like in the churches. The one who was hanged in there was me. Box to be more precise was my other-self. He had the same dark face that I couldn't identity last time. In other words, the one who should be chained in there was me. Mr. Lukas had put me there but in That white room, it wasn't me. It was my other-self. He tilted his downcasted eyes at me. I backed up unknowingly. It felt as if he grinned at me with a bit of mockery. There's nothing to fear. He can't possibly do anything to me while chained like that. I tried to console him but every time I looked at his face it gave me dead chills. I stepped onward giving myself a bit of courage. I didn't graze at his face until I reached at a minimum closer to him. The first thing he uttered was "Jodan, I see." His way of talking gave me a feeling that he was depressed but I just let it slide away. After that, I took a seat before him on the floor. Those white floor was drizzling with white.
"So, what should I call you, My clone I suppose?" I said trying to be funny but by the look of things, it wasn't a bit funny. Then he replied with just a word.
"Dercy." A simple word that I didn't know anything about. "Is that your name?" I was a whole lot confused when I heard it.
"Mother called me with it." When he put it like that it meant it was definitely his name. "That's quite an unusual name." To be honest, I never heard it.
"So, why're you chained on the cross instead of me?" I should be the one to be there no him.
"Because you are me and I'm you."
The heck! I don't understand a word he says. "What is that supposed to mean?" I said while feeling incredibly confused. Was it an insult?
"You have suppressed your powers Jodan. In the real world, you were caged because of the mistake you made."
"Mistake?" His voice was the only thing that held emotions. I couldn't grasp the Expression on his face because there wasn't a face, to begin with. It's just a black smoky thing that is shaped like a head.
"You locked me in this unconscious world of yours."
"So, I have such power?"
"The system possesses the power that could free yourself of the prison."
"But… I don't want… to hurt anyone…" it was the mortal I have held back after being this indescribable monster that people hate from the bottom of their hearts. "You're a fool indeed as that doc said.
"Doc?" I looked at him in surprise. "Is he real?"
"He is." The room was silent but our voices echoed, throughout the room making it nosy. "So, it wasn't just a hallucination of mine?" He didn't reply. Silent is an answer. I joyed out but I couldn't express it because he might take advantage of it. "A-Ahem, I have thought so. There's no way he could be unreal." Dercy didn't say anything about it. He just kept his quiet.
"I got distracted for a second. Let me get to the point, I have some questions for you."After that, I began laying out the questions I needed to answer desperately. He gave me answers but it wasn't quite the one I wanted. Most of his answers were twisted from the bottom of the pit. I just felt like an uneducated folk compared to him. I never thought I was that bad at riddles. "For the last question--" he intercepted me right away.
"You want freedom, right?"
"I get what you're getting."
"Jodan, free me and I'll give you the power that you needed."
"I hate it. I hate the system! I don't need its power. I'm well without it. All those things happen because of this system! Why was my fate be like that? Did I do anything wrong? I was just a normal college boy. Just tell me what's the thing I did wrong? If I really wanted that so-called power I would have just…" Why the hell I'm crying?.... Why…..Tears just fall from my eyes and I couldn't stop it no matter what.
"You did nothing wrong, Jodan. The world is wrong. Everyone is wrong. This broken world is filled with unfairness."
This room was slowly getting chilly as I continued to cry.
"You can change this world Jodan. Free me and I'll grant the power could have from the start. The true power of the system."
I stood up from my seated position and began closing the distance between us. "Free me from those chained. You're the only one who could do it." He kept saying with an exciting feeling voice. "Yes, embrace me Jodan. I'm the real you. You just have to embrace the real you ." I was standing right before him thinking how I could free him. There wasn't a key but the chained had keyholes.
"Just say 'UNLEASH'" He spoke in a majestic voice.
"Un--"
As I was about to say I stopped in my tracks. "Last question, what will I lose?" I could feel a little disappointment. The dark aura that was forming around him now vanished in thin air.
"Humanity." He spoke in a deep voice.
"I would never do that." I turned myself from him and began walking in the other direction. He again lowered his head down. Perhaps he felt angry because I rejected him.
"You'll die." That was the last thing I heard from him. Not that I care about that.
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT